Photovoltaic cells are widely used for the generation of electricity, with multiple photovoltaic cells interconnected in module assemblies. Such modules may in turn be arranged in arrays and integrated into building structures or otherwise assembled to convert solar energy into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. An example of photovoltaic cells includes copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) cells, which offer great promise for thin film photovoltaic applications having high efficiency and low cost.
Manufacturing photovoltaic cells and, in particular, thin film photovoltaic cells, may cause some small defects, which generally do not impact cell performance if properly addressed and maintained. For example, some imperfections and contamination in a relatively thin photovoltaic layer may create an area having low electrical resistance that may, in turn, cause electrical shorts and localized heating. These defects are referred to as shunt defects. Bypass diodes have been used to overcome the impact of such shunt defects that cause power loss in photovoltaic cells and help to maintain the reliability and efficiency of photovoltaic cells when protected by such bypass diodes.